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Capturing the city's relentless energy and vibrancy of São Paulo, director Marcelo Caetano's bracing drama focuses on those who exist on the margins of an ever-changing metropolis. Fresh out of juvenile prison, 18-year-old Wellington (the actor João Pedro Mariano) finds himself at a crossroads; abandoned by his parents, the wide-eyed young man finds solace in the arms of others.

On an late-night excursion with his boisterous group of LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming friends, Wellington meets Ronaldo (actor Ricardo Teodoro), a muscular, charming hustler more than twice his age. Bathed in the wavering neon of a XXX cinema, their initial encounter is sensuous and erotic, with an hint of risk. Ronaldo quickly introduces Wellington to the shadowy world of sex work and narcotics trafficking.

A Portrait of Empathy Rather Than Exploitation

Caetano depicts Wellington’s new life of crime with compassionate understanding rather than as a exploitative warning story. Now using the alias Baby, he approaches his transactional encounters with brash fearlessness and poignant gullibility. To his customers, Wellington lends not only his youth and his body, but also instances of tenderness.

In the electrifying chaos of São Paulo, overflowing with busy lanes and colourful shopfronts, there’s a deep-seated solitude, as rootless people cling on to one another for fleeting joy.

"The city can be fraught with peril, yet they are the place where they can discover chosen kin, too."

A Complex Relationship of Affection and Power

Ronaldo is simultaneously a partner and a protective father figure to Wellington, but their connection is thrown off course by envy and economic precarity. Intimidation from shady figures in the shadow economy seem minor next to the fear of state surveillance and incarceration, represented by the constant sight of police officers in the area.

Baby is most powerful as a perceptive study of the lost people who have been failed by the social system. The film ultimately serves as a heartfelt look into making ends meet, found community, and the pursuit of purpose within a harsh urban landscape.